


Just Like Our Father

by windsroad



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, during time skip, this is really just fluffy sibling nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 11:41:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11805282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windsroad/pseuds/windsroad
Summary: Vex goes to Zephrah on a diplomatic mission, as practice for Syngorn.





	Just Like Our Father

Vex and Percy held hands as they approached Zephrah. Percy leaned over to whisper into Vex’s ear.

“Don’t worry, dear, you’ll be fine,” he said. “It will be great practice for Syngorn. And if it isn’t fine, I’m sure the leader of _this_ community won’t hold it against you.”

“It does seem the best place to start,” Vex whispered back.

As a scout from the village approached, the two took their hands apart and put them professionally behind their backs.

“You enter Zephrah, home of the Air Ashari,” said the small half-elf boy. He was dressed in familiar autumny oranges. “May I ask what your business is here?”

Vex’ahlia hesitated and glanced at Percival. He made no motion to say anything. “My name is— I am Lady Vex’ahlia, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt,” she said. “Ambassador of Whitestone. We have come to speak to Key— the Headmaster, about some important business.”

“The Voice of the Tempest,” said the young half-elf. “Is the Headmaster expecting you?”

“Yes, well—we’re friends of hers.”

Recognition sparked in his eyes. “Ah— oh, yes, I’m sure she’ll want to see you immediately.”

Once he turned his back, Lady Vex’ahlia sighed and became Vex once again, leaning her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder.

 

“ _Ambassador_?” said Vax with a scowl. It’d been a little over a month since he’d seen Vex’ahlia, and in that time she became an ambassador?

Keyleth nodded vigorously, tipping a thick, oddly-colored liquid into a bottle where herbs were steeping. “Mhm, yeah, just like your father, isn’t that funny? Percy sent me a message about it, she’s going to be the ambassador to _Syngorn_ , of all places, but they wanted to practice here first.”

“Just like our father,” said Vax, fiddling with the tassels on a pillow. “Sure.”

A small poof! erupted from the potion and Keyleth sniffed it expertly. “Anyways, I thought it’d be fun! Like, a double date. Though I suppose more political than most double dates.”

“Right. Political.”

 

“Well Taryon’s idea was that all the orbs would be alerted should just one be activated,” Lady Vex’ahlia explained. They sat at a formal political dinner, seating carefully chosen based on social position and political importance, and dressed in their best formal wear. Lady Vex’ahlia sat at the Voice of the Tempest’s right hand, as Percival insisted that today, he was only Lady Vex’ahlia’s boyfriend, not the Lord of Whitestone.

Titleless Vax’ildan sat far on the other end of the long table, opposite Keyleth as her… whatever he was. He wore his most formal clothing, which was also his most functional clothing, and still retained a faint odor—the Deathwalker’s Ward.

Vax leaned his chin on his palm and pushed his food about on his plate. Vex expertly explained the idea Tary and Percy had come up with, asked Keyleth for her thoughts and advice as an honored friend and powerful ally, and suggested how Keyleth could help. Percival merely smiled and nodded along with the things she said, and if he did speak, only to clarify details or comment in support.

“Of course, of course,” said Keyleth, in response to some comment. “Right, _Lady_ Vex’ahlia?” she added with a wink, like it was some sort of private joke.

As the conversation continued, Keyleth’s joking tone faded away to match Vex’ahlia’s formality. Vax’s frown deepened. Keyleth was always born to this, he supposed, and Percy certainly was, but in Vex’ahlia he felt her growing further from him in a way that baffled and scared him.

 

“Vex said they’ll need someone to arrange everything with Emon and the other Ashari, and I thought that would be a great opportunity for me to, you know… flex my muscles. In that area.”

They were back in their own room now, Keyleth getting ready for bed as she talked about the day before and the day ahead.

Vax had plopped down in an armchair as soon as they’d left the stuffy, formal dinner. He fiddled with the tassels on the same pillow he had earlier, but didn’t say anything.

Keyleth pulled her nightdress over her head and gave Vax a sideways glance. “As the leader of my tribe, I need to get better at it eventually,” she said. “What’s wrong? You were quiet at dinner.”

Vax shrugged gloomily. “Oh, you know, all that formality.” He undid the strap on one arm cop and chucked it to the ground. “‘Just like our father,’ you said.”

Keyleth slid onto the chair next to him and grabbed his hand that lay on the pillow. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “Does he still bother you? Syldor?”

“ _He_ doesn’t bother me,” replied Vax. “I don’t care what he thinks. I think.” Vax wrenched his hand out from under Keyleth’s and stripped pieces of armor off as he continued talking. “But I care that my sister cares. We’d always promised that we wouldn’t… be like him, but I can’t help but wonder if this is her way to impress him, and then Percival comes in with his nobility and titles and I wonder if they are good influences on each other or not. And I want to be happy for her but sometimes I… wonder.”

Vax paused in his small tirade and looked at the bits of armor strewn about the floor. “Sorry.”

Keyleth reached and drew Vax’s hand back into her own. “Don’t be,” she said. “I think you should talk to Vex about this.”

Vax sighed. “I know.”

 

Vex and Percy held hands as they sat at the breakfast table waiting for Vax and Keyleth. They were no longer visiting dignitaries, but instead visiting family.

“Vax was very quiet yesterday,” said Vex.

“Oh, you know Vax, he’s not… big on formalities,” said Percy, wincing a little while trying to find the right words.

“Do you think he’s very mad? About being ambassador, and everything?”

Percy lifted Vex’s hand and kissed her fingers. “I think your brother will support anything you do, even if it were ill-advised,” he said. “And speaking of ill-advised… what do you think about what we discussed last night? About getting…?”

“Would that be ill-advised, darling?”

“I think it would be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Vex laughed. “Well I think…”

The sound of a clearing throat came from the doorway. Vax came in, dressed in casual clothing, with Keyleth peaking out behind him and smiling widely at Vex and Percy.

“Don’t stop on our account,” said Keyleth.

 

After breakfast the four set out on a tour of Zephrah and the nearby areas. However, Keyleth grabbed Percy by the arm and motioned towards Vex and Vax.

“Vax, you know Zephrah well enough to show Vex around, don’t you?” she said. “Why don’t you two look around yourselves. I want to catch up with Percy.”

Vex smiled. “Certainly, darling. I’m sure you’ve missed each other very much.”

“Yeah! Yeah. Well, we’re going… This way,” Keyleth said, dragging Percy off in another direction.

“I assume there is an ulterior motive,” Percy said, once they were a good distance away.

“Vax is a little upset,” Keyleth admitted. “They need to talk. I’m sure they’ll work it out.”

“They can’t stay upset with each other for long,” agreed Percy.

 

Meanwhile, Vex looked about awkwardly, unsure what to do with herself. “So… how are things here in Zephrah?”

“It’s fine,” Vax choked out. He had his head down instead of looking at the sights, making a very poor tour guide.

“It doesn’t sound fine,” Vex said, laughing nervously. They walked passed a cliff where several young Ashari were jumping and flying back up as birds. But they did not stop to look. “Vax, if I—”

“I am sorry for being an ass,” interrupted Vax. “I guess I am having a hard time… with all this.”

Vex took her brother by the hand and sat with him at a nearby bench along the path. “Please, tell me what’s wrong. I couldn’t bare to think you mad at me.”

Vax sighed. “When we were young we said we would always be together, not become like Syldor,” he began reluctantly. “But with us living further apart, I worry that we are growing further apart in other ways. Titles… ambassador…”

Vex put a hand on his face. “Brother, I promise nothing will happen between us. I am not doing this for him,” she said. “I am doing this because I like it, and because I think I’ll be good at it, and because Whitestone is my home and I want to do something good for it.”

Vax looked up and sighed. “Zephrah is my home now, I think. They are quite far away.”

“Yes.”

“You will be a good ambassador, that I am sure of,” Vax said. “But _Syngorn_? Will you enjoy that, Syngorn?”

“Vax, I want it to be so that I can go there and see our father and not be bothered. I want to go there and be okay, and this seems a good way to start. Besides,” Vex continued, “the more I go to Syngorn the more I will see Velora.”

Vax leaned his head back on the bench. “Ah, Velora! Then you will have to bring me on some of your diplomatic missions.”

Vex laughed again, happier now. “Well, I was planning on going soon—”

“Percy! Percy, it’s fine, I promise!” said Keyleth, somewhere nearby. “We do this all the time here, really!”

“What in the world…?” Vex and Vax both turned to see what was going on.

The young Ashari that had been at the cliff before had cleared out, and now Keyleth and Percival stood near the edge arguing.

“For the last time, I am _not_ letting you jump off a cliff right in front of me!” said Percy. “I don’t care how many times you’ve done it before; it’s certainly not happening now.”

“Percy, you are such a stick in the mud!”

Vax laughed. “Well, it’s good to know the more things change, the more they stay the same.”


End file.
